Improvement in cultivators



UNITED STATES PATENT Grrron.

THEODORE F. VANDEGRIFI AND WILLIAM VANDEGRIFT, OF VVABAS H, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALF THEIR RIGHT TO OSCAR WADE,

OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CULTIVATORS.

Spccification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 165,136, dated June 29, 1875; application filed May 1, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, THEODORE F. VANDE- GRIFT and WILLIAM VANDEGRIFT, both of Wabash, in the county of Wabash and State of Indiana, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Tongue for Cultivators; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction'and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a plan view of our cultivator-tongue, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same.

Our invention has relation to means for attaching a draft-tongue to the hounds of a cultivator or corn-plow.

The nature of onrim'ention consists mainly in an arc-shaped box, which secures the front ends of a frame made of one piece, and bent at the rear, and having the tongue pivoted to it and constructed with a spring-latch which will engage with and hold the tongue rigidly when the latter is at right angles to the axle, as will be hereinafter explained.

In the annexed drawings, A A designate two transporting-wheels, which are applied on an arched axle, B, which is designed to run astraddle of the rows of corn or other plants. 0 designates the frame of the machine, which is a wooden bar, bent as shown in Fig. l, the front portions of which form the hounds a a, which are sustained by braces 12. This frame is secured to the vertical portions of the axle B, and it possesses great strength and rigidity, as there are no joints to give way. To the front ends of the two bounds on a a box, D, is rigidly bolted, which box is 'composed of two horizontal sections having the form of the arc of a circle, which sections are bolted together and receive between them a draft-tongue, E. This tongue is pivoted at c to the cross-bars of the box D, and the rear end of the tongue, which is shod with metal,

has a notch, d, in it, and is received between the arc-shaped portions of the box. The double-tree F is pivoted to the tongue E in front of the box D, so as to move with the tongue, and the latter is sustained by means of a hammer-strap, 0, shown in Fig. 2. G designates a latch, which plays through the arc of the box D, at the middle thereof, and is suitably guided. This latch or bolt has its front end rounded to engage with the notched end of the draft-tongue, as shown in Fig. 1, and hold the tongue rigidly in a position at right angles to 'the'axle B. The shank of the latch G has a spring, 8, coiled around it, and the rear upturned .end of the latch is connected by a rod or chain, g, to the eccentric portion of a lever, h, which is pivoted to the rear part of frame '0. It will be seen from the above description that, by turning lever it around, the latch G will be retracted and disengaged from the draft-tongue, thus allowing the horses to be moved either to the right or left, as may be required.

I am aware that the revolving plate of a turn-table has heretofore been rigidly secured to the tongue of a cultivator; a drop-catch being attached to a lever, which, when raised, permits the tongue to swing horizontally, the latter resuming its longitudinal position when the catch drops into place, and I therefore lay no claim, broadly, to such invention.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1 The frame 0, provided with hounds a a, formed of a single piece, in combination with the box D, recessed and pivoted tongue E, spring-latch g, and lever d, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the above we have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of two Witnesses.

THEODORE F. VANDEGRIFT. WILLIAM VANDEGRIFT.

Witnesses:

A. B. SNAVELLY, LEWIS OsBoRN. 

